News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-09-01

drawing the slack rope out of the water
dripping, and whipping the surface til
it finally stretched out taut, and tn
barge slowly glided out Of the lock. H
knew exactly what to do. without Nan
cys "Now then, my General I" "Quicl
march, Cap'en :" or "Halt, Soldier =
She used to declare that he minded be
ing called Soldier" more than a ficl
with a short handled whip. He haC
been an officers horse, and was offended
at being spoken to like a ''commOl
| trooper
John smiled as he remembered how
Nancy's laugh and the pat she gave
/ Soldier" with her little wet hanC
reached him, as she said that. They
were Just coming out of the lock below
Uxbridge they had a cargo of un
broken 1ints that time, and he remem-
bered, as he jumped on board, afteI
working the lock gates, Just as she said
it, the splash with which one of the
quesr-shaped, white and steely fints,
displaced by his foot, went into the
canal.
The sunny picture his slow fancy had
called up was suddenly followed by the
remembrance of that other cold, driz-
zling evening a week ago, when it was
Nancy who jumped lightly from the
barge to the path, rs they went under
the bridge at Stafford. John sat up sud,
denly, and for moment felt sick and
cold, as he heard again the splash and
quick little frightened cry with which
Nancy disappeared in the water, black,
in the thick shadow of the hideous arch.
She had taken the jump scores of times,
but this time she just missed the brick,
ed edge of the path, and before he1
father, who was at the helm, could get at
her, she went under.
John, who was several yards ahead
with the horse, saw her rise again be-
tween the slovly-approaching barge and
the brick path, to which she clung but
before he could reach her and draw her
out of the water, spasm of anguish on
the girls pale face and one long, choked
scream, told that the great numbering
barge had passed just one inch too near
the edge, and had crushed, as it passed,
the slight form.
''Oh, good God !" muttered John, and
drew in his breath sharply through his
teeth even now it was all over and
Nancy gotting better, he couldn't think
of it without shuddering.
How he dived under the barge and
drew out the now inanimate little body
and lifted it to the many hands stretch
ed out on the path how he and her
father, white and shaking with horror,
took their silent, lifeless burden to Cart
side street, he did not clearly remember.
He remembered the policemans face
clearly. A pale face, showing blue
where the chin was shaved and he re-
membered, too, that poor Nancy's curls
draped on to the back of his hand in the
ambulance carriage, as she lay, wrapped
in blankets, across her fathers knee.
But after his own plunge into the water
everything seemed confused, and the
things done and said were like the un-
real acts and words of a horrible dream.
''But she's all right now,' said John
to himself, ''and when she's Mrs. John
Thrupp she shan't run no more risks
and he gave himself a shake to pull him
self together before he got off the train
when it stopped on the white road be-
low the hospital.
He joined the group of mothers and
fathers and friends, each with their
bundles of clothes, eggs and flowers for
the patients, going III twos and threes
up the slope. Some, as he had done
last week, were going for the first time,
and looked about them curiously; but
our bargee strobe ON quickly, smelling
the huge bunch of stocks and wall
flowers and mignonette he was taking
to Nancy. He knew his way, and nod
ded to the man at the lodge as if he were
an old friend.
1t was the same blue-and-w white nurse
on duty as porteress, and John came in
briskly out of the sunshine into the
cool, gray corridor, and took off his cap
with quite a gallant smile, as he said,
before the nurse spoke this time:
'To see Nancy Battsen," and quite
proud of his knowledge, added, sin
Haywood Special, amt it! Only my
self, please, Miss"
The nurse said eyes," and added,
''Oh Mr.. Battsen."
"John Thrupp," said John, smiling
still.
"Oh yes" said the nurse. "Nr.
Thrupp, wait moment, please"
John stood on one side, wondering
what she wanted with him, and watched
her send a cabman and his wife, who
asked for Johnny Mahoney-a baby"
to "North Ward" John wondered
idly what was the matter with "Johnny
Marney,' as the anxious parents called
it.
When they turned and went off to the
right John looked after them, and did
not notice the momentary hesitation
and glance of pity the little blue-and-
white nurse cast on him as she laid her
book on the bench, and got up and
said:
"Wil you come this way, Mr..
Thrupp2"
''Has she been moved out of there?"
said John, following, as they came OPP
posite the Hayward doors.
''The doctor wants to speak to you,"
replied the nurse, without answering
him, and opened the door of the room
into which the doctor had taken him
last time.
The doctor was sitting the other side
of square, green leather table, and
looked up absently from his writing;
and then, as John saidcheerily: "Good-
day, Sir" he seemed suddenly to recog-
nize the young fellow. A worried look
came into his face and he said:
ooh, it's you; wait q moment" and
getting up quickly, he followed the
nurse out of the room, turning to add as
he closed the door: "Sit down; I'll be
back in q moment. "
John sat down p little puzzled, but
not shade of anxiety or fear that his
Nancy was worse crossed his mind. He
had made up his mind she was nearly
well by now, and pictured her, sitting
up now perhaps in long arm chair he
had seen in the Special. The door
opened again, and the doctor came in,
looking very grave indeed; and shutting
the door, stood with his back to it, and
said:
''NIr. Thrupp, I am very much dis
tressed to find you have not had the
| sent to Gartside street last
night | quite thought you had it.
"What message, Sir?" said John,
grave tone. 81 didn't think to go and
ask for no message-she was getting
better She amt no worse, is she,
Sir? She amt bad agen, is she, doc
tory
''My poor fellow" said the doctor,
his face paling a little, 81 wish you had
gone to inquire. She got much worse
yesterday afternoon. Before we wired
she tried to sit up; poor child, and hem
orrhage, internal hemorrhage, set in"
And he hesitated again, and looked
at poor John; and again went
on hurriedly:
1--WE thought you'd get the wire and
be prepared. She sank rapidly. There
was no pain, but we could do nothing.
She died about midnight"
John sat on very still, with his cap in
hand, between his knees, staring at the